Cart

✏ Loyalty: Employees Quit Bosses, Not Leaders

Do you think poor leadership has an effect on team performance?

ABSOLUTELY. YOU CAN’T CREATE GREAT FOLLOWERS UNDER POOR LEADERSHIP.

In today’s business environment, being a leader isn’t simply a job title. One must have the ability to motivate and inspire a team to empower them to deliver the company goals, and do so in an engaging spirit.

A Gallup poll of more 1 million employed U.S. workers concluded that the No. 1 reason people quit their jobs is a bad boss or immediate supervisor. 75% of workers who voluntarily left their jobs did so because of their boss — not the position or company itself. In spite of how good a job may be, people will quit if the relationship is not healthy. “People leave managers not companies…in the end, turnover is mostly a manager issue.”

We often talk about the differences between a “boss” and a “leader”. It’s a simple way to distinguish the difference in a definition that has changed dramatically over the years, as more studies point to the success of what traits make great leaders.

For years, many individuals in a position of power abused their role through a lack of integrity, sensitivity, honesty and inspiration. A key trait that is absent in poor leadership is empathy. In order to be an effective leader, you have to respect the relationship, and have a genuine understanding of the roles and responsibilities of your team members.

Your job is to support, encourage and inspire. I have said numerous times in my blog posts, LEADERSHIP IS A PRIVILEGE. You are tasked with a tremendous responsibility — one that goes beyond your own self-development.

If you don’t truly understand the requirements and expectations, then maybe leadership isn’t for you. The problem is, too many people have an ego that doesn’t allow them to step away, or they don’t have a mentor showing them how to be a good leader.

A great phrase most of us have heard is “loyalty breeds loyalty”. In order for a leader to receive loyalty, you must first give it. YOU are the example of leadership in everything you do. If you demonstrate commitment, you will gain it back in return. If you demonstrate integrity, you will gain it back in return. If you demonstrate character, you will gain it back in return.

It starts with leaders who understand that to get loyalty from others, you must first give it. Leaders who take the initiative in demonstrating commitment to their teams are far more successful in gaining commitment in return. If you have their back, they will have yours.

“Strong leaders won’t create followers; they create more leaders.”

A strong leader provides empowerment and allows their employees to grow. They serve as a mentor, with a shared goal of watching you succeed. By contrast, a poor leader will hold you back professionally, developmentally — and will create an atmosphere that lacks challenge, encouragement and personal gain.

Let’s be realistic, no leader is perfect. Each will have their own strengths and weaknesses; however, effective leaders have the self-awareness to identify areas for improvement and are dedicated to constantly growing.

Good management takes effort and experience, but it’s really pretty straightforward. It does require a tremendous amount of work, and with that comes a dedication to craft your team toward success. That’s the reward though, watching those under your mentorship succeed on their own.

Bottom line, don’t take your employees for granted; they’re the most valuable asset you have.